Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa
You can apply for this visa if you have an exceptional talent in a field of art, sport or culture.
Apply online-
Length of stay
Up to
30 months
-
Cost
From
NZD $1630
-
Processing time
80% within
6 weeks
-
Age range
55 years or younger
To apply you must:
- have exceptional talent in your field of art, sport or culture
- have a sponsor and the support of a New Zealand organisation recognised for its excellence in your field
- meet all other requirements of this visa.
This visa lets you:
- start your pathway to residence in New Zealand by being actively engaged in your field of art, culture or sport, and after 2 years apply for residence
- stay up to 30 months, and if your residence application is successful, indefinitely
- travel in and out of New Zealand for 30 months
- study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.
You cannot include a partner or dependent children in your work visa application, but they can apply for visas based on their relationship to you.
You can include your partner and dependent children in your residence application after you have been actively engaged in your field of talent in New Zealand for 2 years.
Who can apply
Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.
Identity
You must provide proof of your identity:
- 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you use a paper application form
- your passport or
Note
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand.
If your photo does not meet all of our requirements we will ask you for a new photo. If you are applying for a visa, we will stop processing your application until we receive an acceptable photo. If you are requesting an NZeTA, your request may be delayed or refused. Use the photo examples on this page to check your photo is correct and meets our requirements. Alert Do not use the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs website or other online tools to check your photo as those tools are for passport photos only. Your photo is more likely to be accepted if you use a professional photographer or business that takes passport photos. Give the photographer our instructions to make sure you get a photo that meets our requirements.
The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Further instructions are on the paper application forms. Note You can only apply for an NZeTA online. The photo you submit with an online application must be: Alert We are unlikely to accept your photo if it is not the right size. If you request an NZeTA using the web app, you can either upload an existing photo or take one using your device's camera. If you use the mobile app, you can only take a photo using your device's camera. Your photo must be: If you take a photo with your device, the camera must have a minimum resolution of 540 x 720 pixels. Large photos will be automatically formatted. If there is an issue with your photo you will receive an error message when you submit your visa or NZeTA photo online. To help you, we have provided a list of online errors and how to fix them. Your photo must: It may be easier to remove them.
Visa and NZeTA photos
Your photo must be less than 6 months old and clearly identify you. It must also meet all of our technical requirements.
Meeting our photo requirements
Visa and NZeTA photos are not passport photos
Using a professional photographer
Paper applications for visas
Online applications for visas
Online requests for NZeTAs
Online photo error messages
Taking your visa photo
Be in portrait, not landscape
Be of you, not a photo of a photo or your travel document
Have even lighting with minimal shadowing
Be in colour, showing natural skin tones
Be in focus, not blurry
Not contain red-eye
Be an original photo, not changed by photo-editing software
Not be a selfie
Be taken 1.5 metres from the face
Be taken against a plain, light-coloured — but not white — background with no patterns or objects
Only contain plain clothing patterns
Be of one person
We need to clearly see your face
Face the camera and keep your head straight
Keep your eyes open and mouth closed
Do not smile or frown
Show your face clearly and that long hair is tucked behind your ears
Position yourself in the middle of the photo
Remove sunglasses and hats
If you wear prescription glasses
Make sure your eyes show clearly through the lenses, with no reflected light
If you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons
Make sure that your face and hairline can be seen in the photo
If you apply online, you must upload a copy of your passport when you apply. We will let you know if you need to send your passport after you have applied.
You do not need to send us a physical copy. You must send us a high-quality scan of your passport. Provide a scanned copy of your current and recent passports, including: File formats for uploading documents and photos If you are including your partner or dependent children in your application, you must send us high-quality scans of their passports too. If you are applying for a: You must upload a high-quality scan of your current passport or travel document information page when you start your application. This is the page with your photo, name, date of birth and document details like passport number, expiry and issuing authority. Make sure your scan also includes the MRZ code — the string of characters on the bottom of the information page of your passport. If you are including a partner or dependent children in your application, you will also need to upload a high-quality scan of their passport information page. Immigration Online will read the identity and document details in your scanned copy and fill in these fields for you on the form. Check the details in the form are correct and fix any mistakes. If all the information is correct you do not need to do anything and can continue with your application. If Immigration Online could not upload your document, rescan your document and try again. Make sure the document: You can upload any other pages with visa records, entry and exit stamps in the 'Identity evidence' fields in the 'Supporting documents' section of your application form. If you are applying for another type of visa online, we will email you if we need your physical passport to confirm your identity. You may not need to send us your passport if you are: If you renew your passport before you travel, you must transfer your eVisa or the visa label to your new passport. Transferring a visa to a new passport You may not be able to come to New Zealand if your visa and passport do not match in our system. If we need to see your physical passport to confirm your identity, we will: Most people do not need to provide their physical passport. If you are not sure if you need to send your passport, check the final page of your completed visa application in your Immigration Online account. Warning If you do not send your passport within the time we specify, we may delay processing your application or decline it. If you are applying from outside New Zealand, send your passport to your nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Immigration New Zealand (INZ) office. We must receive it within 20 working days from when we ask for it. Most people use a courier or postal tracking service to send us their passports. Offices outside of New Zealand (Visa Application Centres) Postal addresses for sending paper documents We will contact you with instructions about where and how to send your passport if you: Check our postal addresses page for where to send your passport in New Zealand. Use a signature-required courier service so it arrives quickly. Postal addresses for sending paper documents You may have to pay a fee to send your passport to a VAC. You can find the handling fee on the website of your nearest VAC. Fill in the filters and select the tab called ‘Passport handling for online application’. VFS Global for individuals — VFS Global If you sent your passport to a VAC, they contact you with the tracking details after they send your passport back to you. If you have any questions or concerns about the return of your passport, contact the VAC directly. Note The VAC may not send your passport back to you until after we have made a decision about your visa application. If you sent your passport to an INZ office, you receive a tracking number after we send it back to you. Contact the courier company if you have any questions about delivery. For any other questions or concerns, contact us. If you need your passport urgently, contact the INZ officer processing your application. When you contact them, include:
Providing your passport for an online application
How to provide a digital copy of your passport or send us your original passport so we can verify your identity.
If you are applying for a visitor, student or work visa
Resident and transit visas
You must upload a high-quality scan of your passport or travel document when you apply online. You do not need to send us a physical copy.Upload the passport or travel document information page
File formats for uploading documents and photosUpload other passport or travel document pages
Other online applications
Transfer a visa to a new passport
Providing your physical passport
Sending your passport from outside New Zealand
Countries that cannot use a VAC
Sending your passport in New Zealand
Sending your passport to a VAC
Getting your passport returned from a VAC or INZ office
Urgent return of passports
If you submit a paper application, provide your original passport or a certified copy.
Citizens of China applying from China
Also provide your:
- Hukou (household registration book)
- Chinese identity card.
If you submit a paper application form in China, you must also complete a supplementary form.
Applicants from Hong Kong or Macao applying within Hong Kong or Macao
Also provide a copy of your identity card.
If you are submitting a paper application form, you must provide a supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students.
Health
You must be in good health.
You must have a chest X-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.
To get a New Zealand visa, applicants must be in good health. To show us that you have an acceptable standard of health, you may need to have a medical examination, chest X-ray or both. If you do, you will need to include a medical certificate or an eMedical reference number in your application. Why you need to provide evidence of your good health How to get an X-ray or medical examination There are 3 types of medical certificate: What you need to provide depends on the type of visa you are applying for, how long you intend to stay in New Zealand, what country you are from, and whether you have provided a medical certificate to us with an earlier application. Children under 11 years of age and pregnant women do not need to have a chest X-ray unless a special report is needed. If you will be staying in New Zealand between 6 and 12 months, you must have a chest X-ray if: Countries with a low incidence of tuberculosis If you will be staying for more than 12 months, you must have a chest X-ray no matter where you are from. If you apply for another visa while in New Zealand, the time you have already spent here counts towards the 12 months. Different rules apply if you are: Information for asylum seekers If you are applying to stay in New Zealand permanently, and do not already have a resident visa, you must have a chest X-ray no matter where you are from. You do not need to get a chest X-ray if you are applying for a student visa and staying for less than 6 months. You must have a chest X-ray if you are applying for a student visa and: You do not need to get a chest X-ray if you are staying for more than 6 months as a foreign fee-paying student, and you are: You do not need to provide a chest X-ray certificate if you are: If you are from a country that does not have a low incidence of TB, you must have a chest X-ray no matter how long you will stay in New Zealand. You must send us another X-ray if: You do not need to send us another chest X-ray if you provided a chest X-ray with an earlier visa application and you are applying for a visa on or after 5 August 2021 based on your relationship to an existing Essential Skills Work Visa holder (that is, you are their partner or dependent child). Once you have made your application, we may come back to you and ask for medical documents. If you have already obtained an X-ray certificate for your visa application, you can choose to still submit it. If you are applying for a Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, you must provide a chest X-ray certificate with your application. Find out if you need to include a medical certificate with your application. If you will stay in New Zealand for up to 12 months, you normally do not need to have a medical examination unless the visa you apply for will allow you to stay for more than 12 months, or we ask you to have one. You must have a medical examination if you will stay in New Zealand for more than 12 months. If you are already in New Zealand, the time you have already spent here will count towards the 12 months. There are different rules when applying for a student visa. If you are applying to stay in New Zealand permanently, and do not already have a resident visa, you must have a medical examination no matter where you are from. If you stay for more than 12 months, you must have a medical examination if you: If you are applying for a Fee-Paying Student Visa or Pathway Student Visa, you do not need to have a medical examination, no matter how long you are staying in New Zealand, unless: Even if you had a medical examination with an earlier visa application, you need to have another medical examination if: You do not need to send us another medical examination if you provided a medical examination with an earlier visa application and you are applying for a visa on or after 5 August 2021, based on your relationship to an existing Essential Skills Work Visa holder (that is, you are their partner or dependent child). Once you have made your application, we may come back to you and ask for medical documents if these are required to process your application. If you have already obtained a medical certificate for your visa application, you can choose to still submit it. If you are a woman over 45 you may need to have a physical breast examination. Your physician will tell you if you need one. If you are applying for a Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, you must provide a general medical certificate and chest X-ray certificate. If you need to have a medical examination or a chest X-ray, you must use a
Panel physicians are doctors and radiologists who are approved to complete medical examinations and chest X-rays for New Zealand visa applications.
Who needs an X-ray or medical examination
If you are applying for a visa, you may need a chest X-ray or medical examination as evidence of your good health.
Proving you are in good health
Types of medical certificate
Who needs a chest X-ray
If you will be staying between 6 and 12 months
If you will be staying for more than 12 months
If you are applying to stay in New Zealand permanently
If you are applying for a student visa
Foreign fee-paying students
If you are applying for a Recognised Seasonal Employer Limited Visa
If you had a chest X-ray for an earlier visa application
If you are applying for a Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa
Who needs a medical examination
If you will be staying up to 12 months
If you will be staying for more than 12 months
If you are applying to stay in New Zealand permanently
If you are applying for a student visa
If you had a medical examination for an earlier visa application
If you are a woman over 45
If you are applying for a Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa
Arranging an examination or X-ray
Applicants from China, Hong Kong or Macao applying within China, Hong Kong or Macao
You must provide a chest X-ray completed in the last 3 months, even if you have provided one to us previously, if:
- you have spent 6 months in a row in China since the last X-ray certificate was issued, and
- you are now coming to New Zealand for more than 6 months.
Character
You must be of good character.
If you are 17 or over, you must provide a police certificate from:
- your country of citizenship
- any country you have lived in for 5 years or more since you turned 17 years old.
Anyone applying for a New Zealand visa must meet the character requirements. When you apply, you must tell us about any issues or activities, both current and in your past, that could affect our decision, including whether you have been: If there is an issue, we may: You can request a character waiver or special direction when you apply. If your request is approved, we can give you a visa if your application meets all other requirements. Visas are given by special direction only in rare circumstances. You may need to provide us with police certificates to show your good character. Whether you need to give these certificates depends on how long you plan to stay in New Zealand and the visa you are applying for.
Character requirements for New Zealand visas
To be given a New Zealand visa, you must be of good character. If you have a criminal history, have provided false or misleading information, or could be a risk to New Zealand, we can decline your application.
Being of good character
Providing police certificates
How to get a police certificate
Note
Police certificates must be less than 6 months old at the time you apply.
If you provide a police certificate that is not in English, you must provide an
All supporting documents submitted with your resident visa application must be provided in English or include an English translation. Visitor visa requirements are changing From 26 May 2025, supporting document translations for visitor visa applications will no longer need to be certified. Examples of documents that require full translation include: You must provide us with full certified English translations of all medical and police certificates. This includes police certificates that record no convictions. Note If your other evidence is not in English, you should provide a translated copy, as this will help us to process your application faster. Immigration New Zealand does not translate documents on behalf of visa applicants. You must pay for certified translations. You can provide certified translations completed by: We do not accept translations completed by the applicant, family members, or the immigration adviser assisting with your application. We will accept translations from a licensed immigration adviser (LIA) who is: Check your passport to see if it has your name written in English. Ask your translator to use this spelling when they translate your documents. If a translator used a different spelling of your name in your translated documents, then include this spelling of your name in the 'other names' section of the visa application form. We need to know if you have used other names that are in your translated documents. For example, if: In your visa application form, enter all other names that you have used in the section called 'other names'. Each translation must: When you apply for your visa, the supporting documents that you provide us are the: How you provide the documents depends on if you are applying online or on a paper form. We may not need an original document or its certified copy in the following situations: When we process your application, we will contact you if we need you to send us a document.
Providing English translations of supporting documents
Check the requirements of the visa you are applying for. Provide certified translations of your documents to avoid delays processing your application.
Check the visa application requirements
Residence visa applications
Visitor visa applications
All other visa applications
Our requirements for translated documents
Who can complete a certified translation
Using the English spelling of the name in your passport
Include your 'other names' in the application form
Check your translated document
Submitting your original foreign language documents
If applying online, make sure all scanned copies are clear and readable.
Genuine intentions
You must genuinely intend to meet the conditions of your visa.
When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information:
- you provide to support your application
- we have about your personal circumstances
- you provided in any previous applications.
When you travel to New Zealand on a temporary visa, your intentions must be genuine. This means that you: We use all the information we have, including the information you give us in your application, to confirm that you have genuine intentions. Alert You must answer truthfully when you complete your visa application or NZTD. If you are travelling on a visitor visa or visiting from a
If you have a visitor visa for a specific reason, you must be coming to New Zealand for that reason. For example, if you have a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, your reason for visiting must be getting medical treatment. If you are travelling on a student visa, you must have genuine intentions to study in New Zealand. You can only work if the conditions of your student visa allow you to. If you are travelling to New Zealand to work, you must have a visa that will allow you to. Unless your visa allows you to work in any job, you must plan to work in the job, for the employer, and in the location specified in your visa. You may be asked to provide evidence of your genuine intentions: Here are some examples of evidence to show that you have genuine intentions in coming to New Zealand. To show your travel history, you could show a copy of your current and recent passports, including: If you live in a country that is not your country of citizenship, provide a copy of the visa allowing you to live in that country. If you have ever had a visa application declined by any other country, provide: If you plan to visit family or friends in New Zealand, provide their: Evidence of your travel plans while in New Zealand could include copies of: You may also need to show that you have plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay. This evidence could include: If you are applying for a student visa, you could provide evidence that you have: If you do not need to pay tuition fees, or if you can pay by instalment — where you make smaller payments over a period of time — you must provide confirmation from your education provider. You can also write a cover letter or statement of purpose explaining why you want to study in New Zealand. This will help us decide if you are a genuine student. If you are using an education agent or licensed immigration adviser, they cannot write the letter for you. Examples of things you could write about in your letter or statement include: If you plan to apply for another visa — for example, a work visa — after you finish your studies, include this in your cover letter or statement of purpose.
To show that you have genuine intentions to work, you will in most cases need to provide: If your visa requires you to have enough money to live on during your stay, you will need to provide evidence. This could include: Depending on your situation, you may need to provide: We consider each application based on the information and evidence we receive. If you do not provide enough evidence, it may take us longer to process your application, or we may decline your application. You must provide genuine evidence. If you or your agent provide evidence that is false or misleading, we may also decline your application. False, misleading or withheld information in visa applications Check the translation requirements for the visa you are applying for. All non-English documents must be translated when you apply for visitor and resident visas. Providing English translations of supporting documents If you are applying online, make sure your evidence is in an acceptable file format. To decide if your intentions are genuine, we look at: We look at evidence you provide with your application to check that it: When we consider information about your personal circumstances, we look at: We also look at information from your previous applications and travel to New Zealand. This can show us if you have: We might not give you a visa or allow you to enter New Zealand if we:
Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in New Zealand
Before you can get a visa or enter New Zealand to visit, work or study, we check that your reasons for coming here are genuine.
What it means to have 'genuine intentions'
Visitor visas
Student visas
Work visas
Evidence to show you have genuine intentions
Evidence of your travel history
If you live in a different country to your citizenship
Declined visa applications
Evidence you are visiting family or friends
Evidence of your travel plans
Evidence of your study plans
Evidence of your work plans
Evidence you have enough money
Evidence of your home country circumstances
evidence of your relationships with close relatives in your home country
Providing good-quality evidence
How we decide if your intentions are genuine
Evidence you provide with your application
Your personal circumstances
Your previous applications
If we decide your intentions are not genuine
Age
You must be 55 or under.
We check your identity documents — for example, your passport — to confirm your age.
Exceptional talent
You must have exceptional talent in your field of art, sport or culture.
You must provide evidence:
- you have an international reputation in your field of art, sport or culture
- you are still prominent in your field of art, sport or culture
- your presence in New Zealand will enhance New Zealand’s achievements and/or participation in your field of art, sport or culture.
Evidence may include:
- qualifications
- awards
- your membership of professional associations
- letters of support or recommendation
- anything else you believe demonstrates your talent.
Support by a New Zealand organisation
You must be supported by a New Zealand organisation of national repute in your field of art, sport or culture.
A representative from a
Note
It is OK for the organisation supporting you to be different from your sponsor.
Sponsorship
You must have an acceptable sponsor.
Your sponsor must complete and sign a 'Talent (Arts, Culture and Sports) Sponsorship Form' declaring that they will meet the sponsorship requirements detailed in the form, including providing you with accommodation and financial support.
While a visa holder you sponsor is in New Zealand you must make sure they have: You must also pay the cost of their return travel to their home country, if they do not intend to pay for it themselves. If they are to be
Alert Who can sponsor a visa applicant You can also sponsor the partner and dependent children of someone you are sponsoring. If you do this, you must cover the same costs for them. Including family in your visa application If the person you sponsor has a visa with
Your responsibilities as a sponsor begin from the date the person you sponsor arrives in New Zealand. If they are already in New Zealand, your sponsorship begins on the date their visa is granted. Your sponsorship responsibilities end on the date the person you are sponsoring: Alert The person you sponsor can be
If you have not paid the costs you are responsible for, and they are paid by a third party or the New Zealand Government, that amount becomes your debt. If you do not pay, we can take you to court to recover the debt even if the person you are sponsoring:
Your responsibilities as a sponsor
If you sponsor a visa holder, you are responsible for them while they are in New Zealand on that visa.
Support you must provide
Even if the person you sponsor has agreed to pay for some or all their expenses, you are still legally responsible for those expensesSponsoring a visa applicant's family members
If the person you sponsor travels in and out of NZ
When your sponsorship begins and ends
You cannot withdraw your sponsorship. It continues even if the person you sponsor stays in New Zealand without a valid visa.
If you do not meet your obligations
Note
Your sponsor can be an individual, an
How to pay and submit
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Enter your details so we can show information that is relevant to you.
When you get your visa
After your visa is granted, you have 3 months to arrive in New Zealand.
When you arrive
Entry permission
You must apply for permission to enter New Zealand. You do this by completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) form.
You can start your digital declaration any time, but the earliest you can submit it is 24 hours before starting your travel to New Zealand.
A paper declaration form is available for travellers who cannot complete it online.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration
New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.
Alert
You can be refused entry permission if you:
- do not meet our character requirements
- have had a change in circumstances since we issued your visa
- refuse to let us take your photo, fingerprints or an iris scan.
When you travel to New Zealand on a temporary visa, your intentions must be genuine. This means that you: We use all the information we have, including the information you give us in your application, to confirm that you have genuine intentions. Alert You must answer truthfully when you complete your visa application or NZTD. If you are travelling on a visitor visa or visiting from a
If you have a visitor visa for a specific reason, you must be coming to New Zealand for that reason. For example, if you have a Medical Treatment Visitor Visa, your reason for visiting must be getting medical treatment. If you are travelling on a student visa, you must have genuine intentions to study in New Zealand. You can only work if the conditions of your student visa allow you to. If you are travelling to New Zealand to work, you must have a visa that will allow you to. Unless your visa allows you to work in any job, you must plan to work in the job, for the employer, and in the location specified in your visa. You may be asked to provide evidence of your genuine intentions: Here are some examples of evidence to show that you have genuine intentions in coming to New Zealand. To show your travel history, you could show a copy of your current and recent passports, including: If you live in a country that is not your country of citizenship, provide a copy of the visa allowing you to live in that country. If you have ever had a visa application declined by any other country, provide: If you plan to visit family or friends in New Zealand, provide their: Evidence of your travel plans while in New Zealand could include copies of: You may also need to show that you have plans to leave New Zealand at the end of your stay. This evidence could include: If you are applying for a student visa, you could provide evidence that you have: If you do not need to pay tuition fees, or if you can pay by instalment — where you make smaller payments over a period of time — you must provide confirmation from your education provider. You can also write a cover letter or statement of purpose explaining why you want to study in New Zealand. This will help us decide if you are a genuine student. If you are using an education agent or licensed immigration adviser, they cannot write the letter for you. Examples of things you could write about in your letter or statement include: If you plan to apply for another visa — for example, a work visa — after you finish your studies, include this in your cover letter or statement of purpose.
To show that you have genuine intentions to work, you will in most cases need to provide: If your visa requires you to have enough money to live on during your stay, you will need to provide evidence. This could include: Depending on your situation, you may need to provide: We consider each application based on the information and evidence we receive. If you do not provide enough evidence, it may take us longer to process your application, or we may decline your application. You must provide genuine evidence. If you or your agent provide evidence that is false or misleading, we may also decline your application. False, misleading or withheld information in visa applications Check the translation requirements for the visa you are applying for. All non-English documents must be translated when you apply for visitor and resident visas. Providing English translations of supporting documents If you are applying online, make sure your evidence is in an acceptable file format. To decide if your intentions are genuine, we look at: We look at evidence you provide with your application to check that it: When we consider information about your personal circumstances, we look at: We also look at information from your previous applications and travel to New Zealand. This can show us if you have: We might not give you a visa or allow you to enter New Zealand if we:
Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in New Zealand
Before you can get a visa or enter New Zealand to visit, work or study, we check that your reasons for coming here are genuine.
What it means to have 'genuine intentions'
Visitor visas
Student visas
Work visas
Evidence to show you have genuine intentions
Evidence of your travel history
If you live in a different country to your citizenship
Declined visa applications
Evidence you are visiting family or friends
Evidence of your travel plans
Evidence of your study plans
Evidence of your work plans
Evidence you have enough money
Evidence of your home country circumstances
evidence of your relationships with close relatives in your home country
Providing good-quality evidence
How we decide if your intentions are genuine
Evidence you provide with your application
Your personal circumstances
Your previous applications
If we decide your intentions are not genuine
If you have been refused entry to New Zealand and you still want to travel to here, contact the Customer Service Centre for advice. You may need to apply for a visa before you travel here again. Together with your airline or other carrier, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if you do not meet our entry requirements — for example, if you cannot provide evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa. When you arrive we check your identity and other information again before we give you
Alert Having a visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter New Zealand. Your airline or other carrier can be fined if they let you board an aircraft or ship after we have let them know that you cannot travel. We can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if: We can stop you travelling to New Zealand or entering the country if you: We can also refuse to let you travel to or enter New Zealand if you cannot show us evidence to support the conditions of your visa. For example, you cannot show us evidence that you: Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in NZ If your circumstances have changed and you can no longer meet the conditions of your visa we can also refuse to let you enter New Zealand. For example, if your work visa is based on a job offer that has since been withdrawn you will not be allowed to travel to New Zealand on that visa. You cannot come to New Zealand if you do not meet our health and character requirements. For example, you can be refused entry if: You could be refused entry to New Zealand if you:
What might stop you from being allowed to enter New Zealand
Together with your airline or other carrier, we can stop you from travelling to New Zealand if you do not meet our entry requirements. For example, if you cannot provide evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa.
Why we stop you travelling to or entering New Zealand
Your identity and travel documents
Information you provide to us
Meeting the conditions of your visa
Your character and health
Arriving in New Zealand
While you are in New Zealand
These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa. Your visa conditions are recorded in your eVisa.
Travel
After your visa is granted, you have 3 months to arrive in New Zealand.
After your arrival, you can travel in and out of New Zealand for 30 months.
Study
You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period.
Note
If you want to study longer than 3 months, you can apply for a variation of conditions to your work visa.
Supporting organisation
You must have the support of a
Sponsorship
You must have an acceptable sponsor.
While a visa holder you sponsor is in New Zealand you must make sure they have: You must also pay the cost of their return travel to their home country, if they do not intend to pay for it themselves. If they are to be
Alert Who can sponsor a visa applicant You can also sponsor the partner and dependent children of someone you are sponsoring. If you do this, you must cover the same costs for them. Including family in your visa application If the person you sponsor has a visa with
Your responsibilities as a sponsor begin from the date the person you sponsor arrives in New Zealand. If they are already in New Zealand, your sponsorship begins on the date their visa is granted. Your sponsorship responsibilities end on the date the person you are sponsoring: Alert The person you sponsor can be
If you have not paid the costs you are responsible for, and they are paid by a third party or the New Zealand Government, that amount becomes your debt. If you do not pay, we can take you to court to recover the debt even if the person you are sponsoring:
Your responsibilities as a sponsor
If you sponsor a visa holder, you are responsible for them while they are in New Zealand on that visa.
Support you must provide
Even if the person you sponsor has agreed to pay for some or all their expenses, you are still legally responsible for those expensesSponsoring a visa applicant's family members
If the person you sponsor travels in and out of NZ
When your sponsorship begins and ends
You cannot withdraw your sponsorship. It continues even if the person you sponsor stays in New Zealand without a valid visa.
If you do not meet your obligations
Work
You can work in any occupation for any employer in New Zealand.
Keep your visa in a valid passport
If you want to travel, your visa must be in a valid passport.
If your passport expires, you must apply to transfer your visa to a new passport before you can travel.
Transferring your visa to a new passport
Note
To transfer your visa, you must:
-
- send us your old and new passports
- complete an 'Application for Transfer or Confirmation of a Visa'
- pay a transfer fee.
Application for transfer or confirmation of a visa